| Mottoes | Miles Christi Sum |
|---|---|
| Established | 1924 |
| Type | Voluntary aided foundation comprehensive |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Headteacher | Michael Coady |
| Location | The Park Pontypool Monmouthshire NP4 6XG Wales |
| Local authority | Torfaen |
| Students | 1098 (Sept 2011) |
| Ages | 11–18 |
| Website | St. Alban's RC High School |
St. Alban's Roman Catholic (RC) High School (Welsh: Ysgol Uwchradd Catholig Sain Alban) is a selective and Roman Catholic secondary school in Pontypool, Torfaen, Wales. It provides education for 11 to 18-year-olds in a religious environment. Most pupils come from Roman Catholic families though a significant minority comes from other Christian denominations. The school aims to assist pupils in their faith journey as well as in their academic and social development. It is situated in the historical former home of Charles Hanbury-Tracy.
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St Albans is a traditional Roman Catholic; many students privately attend the Tridentine Latin Mass. There is a strict policy of male-only altar servers who are discerning their vocation to the priesthood. Although the school's sixth form is currently secular in orientation, the interviews for September 2012 intake and re-admission will include proof of devotion and mandatory enrolment in the scapular of Our Lady of Carmel. The school has lost some of its Catholic ethos, but this is to be addressed when re-opened and new staff are appointed. The school's religious education is strictly Roman Catholic dominated. The school has recently discussed plans to drop the Catholic overtones and become a fully fledged ecumenical school. This has caused great controversy with the local Catholic population of Torfaen.
The school is locally renowned for its theatrical, musical theatre performances that are well received by the press and quite often assisted by past and present students. The school hoped to expand upon its theatrical success by building a new auditorium and drama facilities, however, funding has been withheld until the future of the school is certain.
The sixth form consists of roughly 200 pupils studying for A-Level and AS-Level qualifications.
According to the latest inspection report by Estyn, the school has a GCSE pass rate of 73% (based on 5 GCSEs, grades A-C) which puts it in equal 17th place in Wales with Cwmtawe Comprehensive School in Pontardawe, or within the top 10% of secondary schools in Wales. It is also the best performing secondary school in Torfaen.